|
|
Acne
Scars and healing acne scars
|
Acne
scars are the
marks that you get after the acute episode of acne.
They are usually
textured [usually raised but sometimes leave depressions in the skin,
so called ice pick acne scars, which taoer at the ends and boxcar acne
scars, which are more rounded]
and are red or purple in colour [hence the term pigmented acne scars]
|
The best way to treat acne scars is to
prevent them from happening in the first place
Tips for preventing your acne progressing to scars include
- Treat the acne in it's early stages.
Do not ignore it
- Do not squeeze your zits. This
increases the risk of infection and subsequent scarring
- If you think your acne lesions are
infected, see a doctor so he can give you an antibiotic cream or
tablets. This reduces the inflammation caused by the anne, limiting the
extent of scarring
- Be careful when buying over the
counter products for your skin. Some of these are irritant to the skin
resulting in an increased risk of scarring
To reduce scarring from acne by
reduce the amount of
irritation of the skin acne causes the following options have been
suggested
Anti-inflammatory creams: these reduce the angry red reaction around
the acne
Keratolytics: These melt the particles blocking the opening of the
blocked gland allowing the gland to drain. Acne occurs as a result of
blockage of skin glands, stopping them from draining effectively.
Antibiotics: Although acne is not caused by infection, the acne lesions
can get infected. This worsens the reaction of the skin to the acne
lesion increasing the tendency to form an acne scar
Drugs that reduce the amount of oil produced by skin: this reduces the
rate at which the zit grows and therefore reduces the extent of
scarring.
The natural history of acne scars is that
they usually regress [ie get
better] after about 18 months to 2 years, but acne scars do not
disappears completely
Once an Acne scar forms, the best thing is to do nothing especially
over the first 18 months. During this time, the scar regresses and may
disappear completely
If you are concerned about the acne scar and want to treat it, the
options are
Skin Fillers using fat collagen and
other materials. Results are not long lasting
Excision of the scar. You should be aware that the removed acne scar
could be replaced by another scar when the area heals
Laser treatment: This focuses a tight beam of light to the area
affected by the acne scar. This light aims to burn off the acne scar
and encourage new healthier skin to grow.
Problems with laser treatment include :
- worsening of the scar
- The skin is often weepy for a few
days after treatment
- Treatment may result in
discolouration of the skin
which could be permanent
Dermabrasion: This uses an electrical
instrument to remove the top
layer
of the skin, hopefully removing the acne lesion as well
Chemical peels: This treatment is over a period of months. This is
often done using a glycolic acid based or a salicylic acid based
solutuion
Collagen Injections: This is mainly for pock marks caused by acne [the
ice pick acne scar].
Collagen simply tries to fill out the defects
There is a risk of worsening scarring with dermabrasion
 Stumble It!
Disclaimer: The contents of these pages is
not a medical report and is in no way intended to be medical advice.
This site is for information purposes only. If you have acne or any
other health condition, you should consult your doctor
Privacy Policy
|
